Friday’s defeat to the Washington Nationals was the Orioles’ 11th in their past 13 games. They haven’t had much of a need for a closer.
Getting the ball to César Valdez in the ninth inning has been “challenging,” Hyde said before the latest loss. Valdez, the 36-year-old journeyman, has been among Baltimore’s most effective relievers since joining the club late in 2020, moving into the closer’s role with weeks left in the season and carrying that mantle into this year.
But a lack of effective right-handed relievers in front of him has Hyde considering a change.